Female Power

Women who excel in traditionally male careers are often disliked because they're seen as violating standards of femininity. But there may be a way to overcome this bias, according to psychologist Madeline E. Heilman of New York University. Male and female volunteers were told of two financial managers, a man and a woman, with similar credentials. When the woman was said to be compassionate and to work hard to promote employees' sense of belonging, 72 percent of the subjects liked her (versus 28 percent otherwise) and 84 percent saw her as a desirable boss (versus 16 percent). Mention of such people skills did not alter the evaluations of the man. To be well-liked, women in these roles must demonstrate "being both competent and communal," the study concludes.